Team Building
What’s one thing you love about RPGs? This could be a favourite moment from a previous campaign, why they’re excited to play (strategy, story, social interaction), or anything else.
Richard likes holding secrets
Lizz likes roleplaying and making unique characters
Caleb likes genuine character connections
Sierra roleplaying and making funny characters
Are you most excited by combat, exploration and puzzles, or roleplay?
Caleb - roleplay, combat
Richard - exploration, roleplay
Sierra - roleplay, exploration
Lizz - roleplay, puzzles
Kass - roleplays, puzzles
As a player, what’s one strength you bring to the group
Lizz - is dramatic
Sierra - is funny
Richard - is antagonistic
Caleb - bring collaboration
Kass - bring patience
Scheduling
Decide how often the group wants to play: BI-weekly /week, month.
Decide how long a typical session should last: 3 hours, depending on the group vibe.
Decide where to play: foundry or (back-up) talespire.
Decide what day and time to play: 6:30 pm MTN/8:30 pm EST
Decide how long to wait if someone is late: 10 MIN - call the person, text them.
Discuss: A session will be cancelled or rescheduled if: the DM died, ½ the players are gone (depending on the session), combat/ story arc sessions /major lore stuff.
Discuss: If a player is absent, then their character…
will be played by the DM.
will be played by another player.
is not with the party.
Table Expectations
Logistics
Refrain from multitasking/distracting yourself at the table, be present, play the game with your friends. Substances at the table = we trust that you will be lucid and able to participate in the game, not zone out. If you are having an off day, let your group know.
Decide on breaks: 2 short stretch breaks, one longer break for snacks.
Decide how much time should be allotted to review a ruling: 5 minutes to look up a rule, then continue the game based on DM ruling.
Roleplay
Decide on a preferred depth of roleplay: Combat sessions <—------X---> Roleplay sessions
Decide on talk or text or mixture: Talking <—--X-----> Texting
Decide on a general tone: dramatic <—--X-----> comedic
Discuss how much narrative control: DM Narrative Control (linear) <—--X-----> Player Narrative Control (sandbox)
Reminder!!! Characters get time in the spotlight if they want it!
Game Rules
Decide on the the ruleset: PF2E, with homebrew
Discuss: Take backs, or retconning will be permitted when…
To be approved by DM if needed. Misunderstandings can be retconned.
The DM misrepresents a scene or creature. Misunderstanding can be retconned.
Character retcons can done as long as they are not altering the overall game.
Discuss: Player-vs-player
Be adults and communicate any intended RP animosity with other characters. PVP should not be disrupting the play and enjoyment of other players in the session. There is a time and place. If unsure ask DM and your team, DM reserves the right to veto any PVP interaction that disrupts gameplay.
Discuss the “rating” of your typical game: G, PG, PG-13, R, X.
● Note: I (Kass) request that you privately share anything you do not want to occur in the game, if you are comfortable with saying 'please stop' at the table, amazing, if not and a quick PM to tell me there is a problem or even if you need to step away because something was overwhelming will help for me to not worry about you.
Campaign Framework
Decide on the campaign’s setting: Medieval fantasy world in the style of Forgotten Realms.
Decide the accessibility of magic: low <—--X-----> high
Decide the levels of technology: low <—--X-----> high
Discuss the primary environments: forest, grassland, desert, arctic, ocean, underground, lakes and rivers, urban, sky, outer space, other.
Discuss the main themes: adventure, post-apocalyptic, political intrigue, mystery, horror, other.
Discuss the major threats: elemental forces, undeath, devils and demons, elder gods, nature, social upheaval, faeries, aliens, other.
Decide the nature of the adventure: linear<—--X-----> non-linear.
Decide the typical mode of play: Top-down tokens in the style on Forgotten Adventures, some theatre of mind.
Decide at what level the characters will start the adventure: 3, or if joining late 1 level less than avg party.
Discuss how the characters will be connected to each other, NPCs, and the setting.
Discuss adding new players to the group: By group vote.
House Rules
Character statistics: point buy, standard array, rolling, other.
Levelling up: experience points, milestones, gold, other.
Increasing hit points: as written, take maximum, other.
Alignment: determines actions, determined by actions, not used, other. - DM keeps an eye on this and will speak to anyone that crosses the line.
Racial bonuses: as written, not used, other. - Check with DM for homebrew.
Race/class restrictions: n/a, list.
Backgrounds: pre-generated, custom, not used, other.
Encumbrance: carry capacity, inventory, not used, other.
Critical success: double dice, not used, other. Crit charts. - Crit Cards on Nat 20
Critical failure: fumble, not used, other. Crit charts. - Fumble cards on Nat 1
Inspiration/Hero Points: DM-rewarded, not used, other.
Number of skill check attempts, group skill checks, other. - One skill check, per type, per character per map - other with same skill can ‘help’
Initiative: highest roll plus Dexterity, around the table, other.
Starting gold: class-based, other. Either take starting gold for class or roll.
Resting, health regeneration, other. - Short rest (refocus + treat wounds), Long rest requires a safe spot like an inn or camp
Death, resurrection: as written, other.
Home brew character features - check with DM.
Other house rules are in the notes under the tag Rules & Resources
B Plot Group - Do A group journey lags, then switch to B group (“one-shot”)
Alternate Characters - A guild character that you can switch over into when it makes sense. This is also your back up character. Adjust the levelling for alternate characters = not on the campaign gets a reduced XP, those in the party get a bonus to XP
Housekeeping (Zero Sessions) Session - modules list, group loot overview, practice sessions - Seasonal (every 4 months or so)
Music and Patron - continue to use it
Team Building
❏ What’s one thing you love about RPGs? This could be a favourite
moment from a previous campaign, why they’re excited to play
(strategy, story, social interaction), or anything else.
- Lizz likes story building and chaos.
- Sierra like comedy type fun - silly antics.
- Caleb character building, character moments.
- Tassos likes RP, so does Lizz.
- Oualia likes RP and interactions and playing with friends. Loves lores.
- Richard loves the stuff - like the animal totem.
- Justin likes being a meta whore. Creative solutions for problems.
- Keja likes RP and likes doing character bonding over time, the flexibility of tabletop.
- Khowla likes creative solutions in D&D.
- Kass loves world-building.
❏ Are you most excited by combat, exploration and puzzles,
or roleplay?
❏ As a player, what’s one strength you bring to the group
Scheduling
❏ Decide how often the group wants to play: ____ /week, month.
Our group is going to do bi-weekly for the campaign, however, one-shots may be run between by DM or others.
❏ Decide how long a typical session should last: ____ hours.
The typical session will run around 3 hours of playtime.
❏ Decide where to play: ________________ or (back-up) ________________.
We are playing on Roll20 VTT, but looking into TaleSpire currently. Kanka is the Wiki where we will be storing lore and other info we need including session notes.
❏ Decide what day and time to play: ________________, ________________ AM, PM.
Saturdays, bi-weekly, meeting at 8pm (EST)and starting the session promptly at 8:30pm.
❏ Decide how long to wait if someone is late: ____ minutes.
30 minutes wait for someone that did not communicate beforehand that they are going to be late.
❏ Discuss: A session will be cancelled or rescheduled if…
✓ the DM is absent.
✓ 6 players are absent.
❏ Discuss: If a player is absent, then their character…
❏ will be played by the DM.
❏ will be played by another player.
✓ is with the party, but inactive. Still gains level, TPK we will discuss what happens to the character (shelved, lives, dies).
❏ is not with the party.
Table Expectations
✓ Refrain from multitasking/distracting yourself at the table, be present, play the game with your friends.
✓ Decide how much time should be allotted to review a ruling: 3 minutes.
❏ Decide on a preferred depth of roleplay: Stranger Things, Critical Role. We did not discuss. We will discuss in the chat channel and I will update.
✓ Decide on a general tone: dramatic, comedic. We will have a mixture of both.
✓ Remind your players that all characters get time in the spotlight if they want it!
✓ Discuss how much narrative control the players have. We did not discuss, but I prefer characters to have more narrative control than DM. Narating their hits, their defence, etc... DM narrates the setting.
✓ Discuss: Take backs, or retconning, will be permitted when… to be approved by DM if needed. Misunderstandings can be retconned.
✓ the DM misrepresents a scene or creature. Misunderstanding can be retconned.
✓ Discuss: Player-vs-player action is acceptable… Be adults and communicate any intended RP animosity with other characters. PVP should not be disrupting the play and enjoyment of other players in the session. There is a time and place. If unsure ask DM and your team, DM reserves the right to veto any PVP interaction that disrupts gameplay.
❏ Discuss any RPG pet peeves that have not yet been addressed, and if the subject matter
✓ Discuss the “rating” of your typical game: G, PG, PG-13, R, X.
● Note: I (Kass) request that you privately share anything you do not want to occur in the game, if you are comfortable with saying 'please stop' at the table, amazing, if not and a quick PM to tell me there is a problem or even if you need to step away because something was overwhelming will help for me to not worry about you.
Campaign Framework
✓ Decide on the campaign’s setting: Medieval fantasy world in the style of Forgotten Realms.
✓ Decide the accessibility of magic: low, medium, high.
✓ Decide the levels of technology: low, medium, high.
❏ Discuss the primary environments: forest, grassland, desert, arctic, ocean, underground, lakes and
rivers, urban, sky, outer space, other.
❏ Discuss the main themes: adventure, post-apocalyptic, political intrigue, mystery, horror, other.
❏ Discuss the major threats: elemental forces, undeath, devils and demons, elder gods, nature,
social upheaval, faeries, aliens, other.
✓ Decide the nature of the adventure: linear, non-linear.
✓ Decide the typical mode of play: minis and top-down tokens, theatre of mind.
✓ Decide at what level the characters will start the adventure: 3
❏ Discuss how the characters will be connected to each other, NPCs, and the setting.
House Rules
✓ Character statistics: point buy, standard array, rolling, other.
✓ Levelling up: experience points, milestones, gold, other.
❏ Increasing hit points: as written, take maximum, other.
❏ Alignment: determines actions, determined by actions, not used, other.
❏ Racial bonuses: as written, not used, other.
❏ Race/class restrictions: n/a, list.
❏ Backgrounds: pre-generated, custom, not used, other.
❏ Encumbrance: carry capacity, inventory, not used, other.
✓ Critical success: double dice, not used, other. Crit charts.
✓ Critical failure: fumble, not used, other. Crit charts.
❏ Inspiration: DM-rewarded, not used, other.
❏ Number of skill check attempts, group skill checks, other.
❏ Initiative: highest roll plus Dexterity, around the table, other.
✓ Starting gold: class-based, other. Either take starting gold for class or roll.
❏ Resting, health regeneration, other.
❏ Death, resurrection: as written, other.
✓ Homebrew character features - check with DM.
Other house rules are in the notes under the tag Rules & Resources
Thank you everyone for coming to my TedTalk.